By Rehana Shah Bulbulia
Bismillah
It’s 2:30 am on a Saturday night. The night is silent; my home is silent but not the mechanism I call my mind. I would like to attribute this insomnia to that 10’o clock homemade cappuccino that both my husband and I enjoyed but perhaps this is unlikely as he is lights out (MashaAllah). I recall the story of Bayaazid Bustami radiAllahu anhu from the remarkable book Scattered Pearls. On one occasion Bayaazid radiAllahu anhu could not sleep because of pain in his stomach, which he attributed to the milk that he had drunk earlier. However, Allah pointed out to him that all things are but intermediaries operating by His command and intervention and in reality Allah SWT is the Sole Cause. Allahuakbar!!! Ahem…so it isn’t that huge mug of cappuccino after all?
All praises are due to Allah Ta’ala, our Sustainer, our Benevolent Creator and the One Who is possessed of every Great Sifaat (quality).
A few weeks ago I attended a programme by one of our local, prominent Ulema, who effectively conveyed a message, "touch someone’s life-in the manner our beloved Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam did; in the manner our illustrious Sahabah radiAllahu anhuma did". How about you and I begin right now?
Do you, like me, wander sometimes in a catatonic state of confusion at the inconceivable happenings in our society? Where pamphlets and documents reviling one Muslim brother by another are circulated and even worse on a larger capacity, posted and emailed via the internet; where the honour, life and property of one Muslim brother is unthinkingly disposed of by another…and when hundreds of questions are posed and none can be answered; and when solution upon solution is discussed but none appear viable. Let us Ummatis of Muhammad salAllahu aleyhi wasallam remember and understand that every answer and every solution can and will be found in the way, manner and teachings of our beloved Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam. He salAllahu aleyhi wasallam, who advocated that the success of the society lay in the unity, brotherhood and mutual love in that society. Mu’aaz ibn Jabal radiAllahu anhu reports that he heard the Messenger of Allah salAllahu aleyhi wasallam say, that Almighty Allah said, “My love becomes compulsory for those who love one another for My sake and for those who sit together for My sake and for those who visit one another for My sake and for those who spend lavishly for My sake and those who love one another for My Magnificence will have pulpits of light for which the prophets and the martyrs will envy them.” (Mishkaat, Vol1)
As we each introspect into the recesses of our own hearts and while we may think that our role in the greater scheme of things are microscopic, we need to look at the bigger picture… that indeed “every action of ours will have an equal reaction.’ So how about we make our actions ALWAYS good?!! I would like to share a beautiful story, with those of you who weren’t present at that very inspiring programme that chilly Friday evening at the Nurul Islam Hall in Lenasia. We all know that Abdullah bin Ubayy was the leader of the hypocrites and caused much hardship for Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam and the Muslims due to his underhanded actions. However, on his death Abdullah bin Ubayy did not have a garment to cover his body and our Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam, knowing who Abdullah bin Ubayy was, still gave his very own clothes for the kafn of the leader of the munafiqeen. Of course, the Sahabah radiAllahu anhu were shocked at this gesture of Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam. But in fact Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam had remembered such another moment when someone dear to him was in need of a garment. When Hazrat Hamza radiAllahu anhu. And due to his muscular built, nobody else’s would fit him. However, Abdullah bin Ubayy took off his shirt and gave it for Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam beloved uncle. Even though Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam knew the truth and reality of this hypocrite, it did not deter him from remembering an earlier act of kindness and returning it. This magnanimous action of Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam resulted in thousands of Abdullah bin Ubayy’s family accepting Islam. Indeed our Beloved Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam has shown us that the reaction for good can ONLY be good.
We, as one one individual can make a difference, if we endeavour to live and love as our Beloved Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam did. Our Nabi salAllahu aleyhi wasallam who showed us that in order to realize the perfection of faith we need to be Aashiqs (lovers of Allah), Aabids (worshippers of Allah), Aalims (those who have knowledge of Allah) and Aarifs (those who recognize Allah)…unlike shaytaan who experienced his decline. For although he was the greatest aabid, aalim and aarif, he was not an aashiq (lover) of Allah salAllahu aleyhi wasallam. And because he did not love Allah, he could not love for Allah’s sake i.e. Aadam aleyhi salaam and hence he showed disobedience to Allah.
In Khaild Baig’s book First Things First, in the section entitled Muslim Unity, he aptly uses the example of the Muslims’ experience of colonialism, “Colonialism had hit them hard. It subjugated them physically, politically, economically, culturally and mentally. It was like a big crash in which their ship was destroyed. In the immediate aftermath, survival was the main goal and people came with whatever lifeboats they could…the problem was that they had been living in the lifeboats for so long that they had confused them with the ship…can we imagine how speedier our recovery could be if we rose above our petty perspectives, pooled our resources and recognized the difference between the lifeboat and the ship?”
It is not too late to board the ship of Sunnah…It is not too late to board the ship of Islamic brotherhood…It is not too late to reunite, for Allah’s sake, with our relatives and friends-those Muslims whom we have discarded for our sake…It is not too late to forgive in the hope being Forgiven on a Greater Day…It is not too late to confer the beautiful dua called “salaam” and it is undoubtedly not too late…to Love for Allah’s sake.
I'd love to hear your views on this topic. Please post in the comments section below! :)
1 comments:
A fantastic read... jazakAllah khayr for sharing... some of it made for lessons to be learnt, whilst some were reminders well worth being made use of on a daily basis, insha'Allah :)
xxx
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